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The Svartvald
Svartvald Theme Past the southern ranges, there lies a land of chill, murky forest. The Svartvald. The Blackwood. It stretches for leagues in all directions and is home to hardy and wary men and women. The forest is broken only by a web of roads cut through the woods connecting small towns and villages. In the center of the Svartvald, there sits a mighty keep of dark stone hewn from the mountains to the east, Sernangrad. From there, the Black Count, Vittaran Cruoro, rules. Geography and People The people of the region are stalwart, if circumspect. The Blackwood is a dangerous place. Peasants say it is unwise to go out into the woods at night, for it is said that things lurk just outside the firelight. This may indeed be true. The curse of the Count’s lineage can only be borne by those with the will to do so. Those who fail are set loose in the Svartvald to be hunted down. Strange, bestial vampires with little will of their own haunt the mist, looking for unwary prey. The hardy people of the Svartvald don’t know much about their ruler. They know enough to fear him. But they also know that he will protect them. There is a brutal territorialism in Cruoro which has rubbed off on his people. How would an outsider know what it is like living under the Black Count? Outsiders are not trusted in the Svartvald. It is of little matter. Foreigners usually end up dead in the woods soon enough. They don’t know the rules of the Blackwood and there are few enough willing to teach. The Black Count Vittaran Cruoro. The Black Count. The Midnight King. He is tall and savage, with ghost-pale skin and ebon hair and beard. He wears his house colors at all times; black and red. In battle, his plate armor is black as the night sky with accents the color of the blood-red moon. Great, engraved bat’s wings sweep away from his helmet. The Count’s wicked blade, Vyrivottr, Life Drinker, sings a crimson song on the battlefield as it scythes down the Count’s enemies in bloody arcs. His children ride forth from Sernangrad in black carriages pulled by ebony destriers and guided by deep-cowled drivers. When a black carriage arrives in town, they know it is looking for their tithe. Money or blood to fill the Black Count’s treasury. If you see a black carriage coming toward you on the road, you pray that it doesn’t stop. Knowledge Checks Knowledge(Local) or Knowledge(History) DC 10 - The Svartvald, the Blackwood, stretches for miles past the southern border of Delmar. DC 15 - The Blackwood is ruled by a sovereign lord who mostly keeps out of Yelsic politics. He sends envoys to Delmar, but he and his people keep to themselves. DC 20 - The Svartvald is a dangerous place. It is perpetually shrouded in mist and the locals grudgingly warn outsiders against going out at night alone. DC 25 - The ruler of the Blackwood is Vittaran Cruaro, one of the line of Black Counts who preside from the regional capital of Sernangrad. He and his progeny are much feared by their people, but don’t take kindly to Yelsic patricians poking around their territory. DC 30 - Avoid the black carriages at all costs.